We are all Earth citizens!
Here in beautiful Hawaii, we are in the midst of a revival of the “Earth Citizen Movement.” For a short time the movement seemed to be on hiatus…but no longer! This is a new year, and we are shaking off the inertia, infusing ourselves with renewed energy, enthusiasm, and motivation to create a better world.
What is the Earth Citizen Movement? What is a better world? It is the concept envisioned by Ilchi Lee, founder of Dahn Yoga & IBREA (International Brain Education Association). Instead of a world where all people are healthy, happy, and peaceful, we are living in a place with much inequality, discord and pollution. Millions are starving daily, with no clean water to drink, no medicines to cure the simplest of illnesses, while a minority, luxuriate in opulence. War is a continuing reality for many, though a far cry from reality for the majority of us. Unable to earn even a dollar a day many people cannot survive.
How can this be? We are all on the same planet. We breathe the same air, walk on the same earth, drink the same water, and look at the same sun, moon and stars. Yet our lives are so disparate and inequitable.
Ilchi Lee had a vision where he saw the course of our planet’s future. On one path, our world was headed toward darkness, destruction, and oblivion. It was full of people suffering and dying, surrounded by war, hatred, greed and selfishness. The other world was bright and full of vibrant, healthy energy. All living things thrived with an abundance of pure water, good food and healthy, happy, peaceful people. There was no jealously, hatred, selfishness or contempt. All people, instead, shared. They shared all the resources and gave freely of themselves to create a loving, joyful and peaceful world.
Dahn Yoga members in Hawaii are anxious to raise the collective human consciousness, the awareness of all humans for the wellbeing of the Earth. So far Dahn Yoga members in Hawaii have been meeting every Tuesday night to come up with ideas on how to heal our Earth.
Our first project, “Mago’s Dream Potluck” on January 11th of this year saw 30 members gathered at the Honolulu Center. Besides good food and good fun, we had a silent auction and raised a substantial amount of money for the Hawaii Chapter of IBREA/ECM project.
Our second project is to participate in the Great Aloha Run on February 21st. We will walk the 8+ miles from Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium together as Earth Citizens. Our entry fees will be donated to the Carole Kai charity. Over the years Carole Kai has raised over $8.5 million for Hawaii charities.
We are working to get exposure for the name and concept of “Earth Citizen Movement” by participating in the state’s “Adopt-A-Highway” program as well. Our organization is planning to assume responsibility for cleaning a two-mile stretch of highway four times per year for two years. In exchange, the state will post a blue and white sign along the highway stating, “This portion of highway adopted by EARTH CITIZEN MOVEMENT.” We feel that this will promote the concept of “Hong Ik” (action benefitting humanity widely) for our cause. If private citizens clean the roads, it saves the state $2 million per year.
Finally our grandest project in the works to date is the “Mago Earth Festival for Peace” to be held at the McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park on May 15, 2011. We will have a variety of events from 11am to 5pm and teach about the Earth Citizen Movement and Mago’s Dream.
There will be demonstrations by various cultural groups, including one by Dahn Yoga members, of course, and a poster and essay writing contest for students about “peace.” Food booths, other vendors, and local dignitaries will be invited to attend a dinner that evening and we will present awards to the winners of the contests. Fun and games are in the planning to keep the day lively.
These are just a small sampling of how we’re thinking and what we’re doing in Hawaii for the Earth.
